Maryland Marriage License 2026: Cost, Requirements, Wait

How to get a Maryland marriage license in 2026

Apply at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in the county where your ceremony will be held, pay the county's license fee, and wait 48 hours before the license becomes effective. The entire application takes roughly 15 minutes, and only one of you needs to appear in person.

Under Maryland Family Law § 2-401, you cannot marry in the state without a license issued by the clerk for the county where the marriage is performed. The license is valid only in that county, so if your venue changes counties, you'll need a new license from the correct jurisdiction.

When you visit the clerk's office, one party gives information for both applicants under oath and signs the application (Fam. Law § 2-402). If the person who isn't present doesn't come along, the applicant must bring valid ID for both parties. Applications are accepted during regular business hours, typically Monday through Friday, though cutoff times vary by county (many stop processing at 4:00 p.m.).

Maryland marriage license cost by county

Every Maryland marriage license includes a $10 state base fee set by Fam. Law § 2-404. On top of that, each county adds its own surcharge, with proceeds funding domestic violence programs. The result is a range from $35 to $85 depending on where you marry.

A few extra costs to keep in mind:

• Certified copies of the marriage certificate run about $5.50 per copy in Prince George's County; other counties charge similarly.
• A replacement license (while the original is still valid) costs $10, payable into the state's General Fund.
• Civil ceremony fees are typically $25 at the courthouse.

Because counties can adjust their surcharges, it's always smart to confirm the current fee with the clerk's office before you go. Bring the right payment method too, especially if you're marrying in Baltimore City, where only cash is accepted.

Maryland marriage license requirements and documents

When you apply, the person appearing before the clerk must provide the following information for both parties, under oath:

• Full legal name
• Place of residence
• Date of birth
• State or country of birth
• Current marital status (single, divorced, or widowed)
• Whether the parties are related by blood or marriage and, if so, the degree of relationship
• If previously married: the exact date, county, and state of every divorce or spousal death

Social Security numbers are required by federal and state law. They go into the electronic file but are not printed on the license or disclosed as part of the public record. If an applicant is a foreign national without an SSN, they must appear in person and sign an affidavit.

Each party also needs to provide a government-issued document demonstrating their age, such as a birth certificate, driver's license, passport, or military ID. Only one person has to be at the clerk's office, but you'll need to bring age documentation for both.

Starting October 1, 2025, Maryland HB0323 requires applicants to provide their birth date as part of the license application. This codifies what most counties already collected as a practical matter.

Maryland marriage license waiting period and validity

The license is not effective until 6:00 a.m. on the second calendar day after it is issued. In practice, that means a 48-hour waiting period. If you apply on a Monday morning, the license becomes valid at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday.

A circuit court judge can waive or shorten the waiting period for good cause if at least one party is a Maryland resident or an active-duty service member (Fam. Law § 2-405).

Once effective, the license is valid for six months. Your ceremony must happen within that window, or the license expires and you'll need to reapply (Fam. Law § 2-406).

After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed marriage certificate to the issuing clerk within five days (Fam. Law § 2-409). Follow up with your officiant to make sure this happens, because the returned certificate is what creates the official record of your marriage.

Age, residency, and other eligibility rules

The minimum age to marry in Maryland is 18. Under HB 83 of 2022 (effective October 1, 2022), a 17-year-old may marry only with parental consent and a circuit court order. No one under 17 may marry under any circumstances.

Here are the other eligibility details couples commonly ask about:

• Blood test: Not required.
• Witnesses: Not required for the license application itself.
• First cousins: Maryland does not prohibit marriage between first cousins.
• Non-residents: You don't have to live in Maryland to marry there. If neither party resides in the county where the ceremony will be held, the clerk will accept a Non-Resident Marriage License Application-Affidavit instead of the standard in-person application. The affidavit must contain the same information required on the regular application and be sworn under oath before a clerk or comparable official where the applicant lives.
• Foreign marriages: If you were already married in a foreign country, Maryland recognizes that marriage. You do not need a new license.

What to sort out financially before the wedding

Getting the marriage license is one logistical step. Aligning on finances is another, and doing it before the wedding tends to be far easier than doing it after.

A prenuptial agreement is a written contract two people sign before marriage that spells out how property, debt, income, and financial responsibilities will be handled during the marriage and in the event it ends. Couples use prenups to create clarity around topics like business ownership, student loans, real estate brought into the marriage, and retirement accounts. The goal is a shared understanding, not a prediction of failure.

If you're considering a prenup, each partner should have their own independent attorney review or draft the agreement. That independent representation is one of the factors courts look at when evaluating enforceability. A lawyer-led online prenup, where each partner selects their own attorney, gives you that structure without the scheduling complexity of coordinating two separate law offices in person. This is different from a DIY template, which doesn't involve attorney guidance and may miss state-specific requirements.

Not every couple needs a prenup, and routine financial conversations don't require legal advice. But if either of you has significant assets, debts, business interests, or children from a prior relationship, talking to a qualified family law attorney can help you understand what Maryland law would do by default and whether an agreement makes sense for your situation.